Salt of the Earth – Part 3/8 – Greece & Japan

Eating is the focal point of social and family life in Greece and you will never find yourself far from a taverna – a small restaurant serving traditional cuisine late into the night. Greek food revolves around fresh ingredients: barbecued meats,
vegetables, salad, hearty breads, and plenty of olive oil. Classic ingredients include feta cheese, olive, and zucchini, with deserts often characterized by the use of nuts and honey. Not dissimilar to Middle Eastern cuisine, the Greek diet is considered to be largely healthy and responsible for the long, leisurely lives of many a Mediterranean cliché.

Due to its reliance on simplicity, food is usually prepared without strong spices or unusual flavors, making it a great choice for kids. The custom of ordering and sharing multiple dishes also reduces the risk of tantrums from picky young eaters. “There’s no main dish,” explains Ioannis Georgoulis, owner of Santorini, a newly-opened Mediterranean restaurant in the CBD. “We normally serve many dishes all at the same time.”

According to Georgoulis the cuisine’s defining dish is tzatziki, a simple blend of yogurt (usually made from sheep or goat’s milk), cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and light seasoning. Always served cold, it can accompany grilled meats or be used as a dip for pita bread, which is distinctly thicker in Greece than in its neighboring countries. Tzatziki is also a key ingredient in a number of Greek dishes, including meat wraps like gyro and souvlaki (below). Oscar Holland
Also try: Argo, Athena

Recommended Dishes for Kids

– Greek salad: Often shared between the table, this typical salad comprises of lettuce, cucumber, tomato, olives, green peppers, and feta cheese. RMB 24 for large, RMB 15 for small.– Souvlaki: A filling of your choice wrapped in a thick Greek pita with onion, tomato, and tzatziki sauce. There is a special treat for kids in the form of potato fries at the bottom of the wrap. RMB 19-24 depending on choice of meat.– Kefte with rice: Classic Greek meatballs, well cooked on the outside and succulent on the inside. Served with rice and additional tzatziki (RMB 8). RMB 22.
Family-Friendly Checklist:

– Non-smoking? ✓
– Clean bathrooms? (Yes, though customers have to use Guanghua Lu SOHO’s.) ✓
– Booster seats or high chairs? ✗
– Healthy food selections? (Yes, plenty of fresh vegetables and salads.) ✓
– On-table distractions? ✗
– Kids’ play area? ✗
– Child-sized portions? (A number of dishes come in mini sizes.) ✓
– Childproof table settings? ✗
– Staff accustomed to dealing with children? (Yes, although the restaurant is newly-opened.) ✓
– Stroller-accessible? ✓
– Quiet atmosphere? (Yes, by virtue of the restaurant’s small size.) ✓
– English menu? ✓
– Low prices? ✓
– Nearby parking? (Yes, in the basement of Guanghua Lu SOHO.) ✓
– Booth seating? (The restaurant is very small, with one central table that can seat 4-6 people and another ten or so stools around the edge. However, Santorini does takeout within a 5km radius.) ✗
– Diaper changing table? ✗
– English-speaking staff? (The owners speak English, but service was inconsistent among the Chinese staff when we called for delivery.) ✓
– Live entertainment or floor show? ✗

The beauty of Japanese food can be found in the variety of cooking techniques used by the country’s highly-skilled chefs. A simple piece of fish for instance, can be lightly fried, served raw as sashimi, or deep fried in batter to make tempura.
The distinctive flavors of Japanese cuisine come from ingredients like dashi (the stock used in miso soup), soy sauce, and rice wines like sake. As in China, many dishes are rice-based, including the quintessential sushi, which encapsulates the intricacy of the Japanese culinary tradition. Noodles also feature prominently, from thin soba to satisfyingly thick udon.

Given that the cuisine hails from a nation of islands, it is no surprise that Japanese food relies heavily on fish and seafood. But while the cuisine has historically steered clear of meat, the use of beef and pork has become more common in modern Japanese fusion dishes like Katsu curry.

Another more recent phenomenon in Japanese cuisine is teppanyaki, where food is cooked on a flat iron surface grill, often in full view of diners. Many kids enjoy watching the dishes being prepared in front of them, which can make it a fun choice for families.

The freshness of the ingredient used is crucial, according to Peter Li, owner of Haru, a teppanyaki restaurant in Sanlitun’s Village North. “We try not to cook things too much,” he explains. “Japanese food is all about respecting the ingredients and keeping their original taste.” Oscar Holland

Also try: Matsuko, Hatsune

Recommended dishes for kids

As reviewed by Yushan Li (age 7, pictured above), daughter of Owner Peter Li:– Teppanyaki selection: “I like the fish because it’s really fresh. It was cooked right here,” she says, pointing to the teppanyaki griddle at the table. Adults and adventurous kids like Yushan may enjoy the goose liver (RMB 128). RMB 75 for cod, RMB 48 for steamed egg, RMB 20 for roasted bread.– Fried rice: Cooked with carrot, onion, pepper, mushroom, and soy sauce. “My granddad used to make fried rice with sauce, but it’s better this way because it’s a little bit sweet and has vegetables.” RMB 25. – Teppanyaki ice cream with cheese cake: “It’s so sweet!” (Meant in an entirely positive way, of course.) RMB 35, multiple flavors.